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BEYOND APOLOGIES
included in government committees in sufficient numbers to have some influence on what happens. It is easier to influence what happens locally than at the national level, and small successes grow into broader efforts and positive change. The first step in convincing governments to pass needed policies is information. Activists must explain the importance of a policy. They may need to draft model legislation to show exactly what it should contain. (Big business already does this for government, and politicians under time pressures may accept what is given rather than draft their own version.) But information is usually not enough. A multi-pronged strategy will work better to pressure government to do the right thing. Research showing that the public supports the desired policy helps. Evidence of cost savings is also important. Media attention is vital. Several groups pushing the same policy will make a bigger impression than one group acting alone. Activists need to communicate directly with government officials, through letters and meetings. Finally, the passage of a policy is not the end of the process; work is needed to ensure proper implementation as well, using many of the same tools that proved successful for the policy’s passage. None of this is impossible or hopelessly utopian. Town meetings, participatory budgeting, and public input into government plans are occurring in different venues around the world. The sensation of powerlessness leads to apathy; when people see that they can have a positive influence, they are more likely to become involved in civic affairs. Of course not all public involvement will lead to improved results. Various selfish interest groups will speak loudly on behalf of their members, often to the detriment of the public good. However, vibrant communities – communities that get involved in how they are governed – can wield significant power; that power is needed to ensure that government, big or small, acts in the interests of its population, including low-paid workers and others in poverty. We need neither smaller nor bigger government, but government that acts in the service of the public and the environment.